This invention relates to clip fasteners. Particularly, the invention is one for a paper clip fastener which can store a plurality of clips in a storage area or magazine, and automatically locate a clip about a stack of papers or other materials upon actuation, whether manual, electrical or otherwise, of the fastener.
As is well known, the paper clip has become an indispensable accessory, used in offices as well as homes. The paper clip essentially comprises a length of narrow steel wire bent in a curve upon itself at approximately 180xc2x0 at three points along its length. The paper clip has an outer loop and an inner loop. Since the paper clip is comprised of spring steel, the outer loop and inner loop can be moved in opposite directions to create a space therebetween in which a stack of papers or other materials can be received. A slight but sufficient force inherent in the steel tends to close the inner and outer loops and keep the papers securely in position.
For the most part, paper clips are applied manually by a person to a stack of papers. This involves neatly arranging the stack of papers so that they fully overlap each other, removing a paper clip from a box or other container, spreading the inner and outer loops of the paper clip from each other and thereafter applying it to the stack of papers. This is a fairly slow and cumbersome process, especially when large mailings take place, and it is necessary to repeat this process a substantial number of times.
Another factor which tends to cause inconvenience and delay in applying paper clips is that the paper clips are usually arranged randomly in the box or container and, during the packing and transport procedures, often become entangled or connected with each other. Therefore, removal of a paper clip from a container may often result in having to separate it from one or more other paper clips.
Although various paper clip applicators which comprise machines or devices for automatically placing paper clips onto a stack of paper have been proposed and form part of the patent literature, these are often complex machines which are not user-friendly, or are large and difficult to use in practice. Some of these paper clip applicators are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,538 (Christensen) teaches a paper clip dispensing and applying device wherein a paper clip rests on ledges. A slide moves the paper clip forward over a cam which enters a space, causing the outer part of the clip to be spread from the inner part. The cam has an inclined face. On contact with the cam or spreader, the inner leg of the clip will be flexed downwardly and opened more as the clip is forced against the spreader by the slide. After the clip has surrounded the papers, the spreader passes the outer leg and opens the rear loop of the clip to allow the clip to spring back and grip the papers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,019,519 (Guarino) describes a clip design mechanism for applying paper clips where the paper clip is moved by a ram forward onto rails. Depressing means tend to force down the inner bend of the clip providing a space so that it can be readily attached to the pile of papers. The depressing means contains a finger or paddle extending from a shaft on a cross-bar. The ends of the cross-bar have an extension on which springs are located to keep the tongue in a normally downward position. Garryana also shows a spacer pad used to hold a paper sheaf in a plane lower than the outer loop of the paper clip.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,024 (Phillips) describes a paper clip dispenser including a mechanism with an ejector for pushing a paper clip from a magazine. Phillips also teaches a movable spreader tine having a straight portion and a curved portion fixed to a pivot lever. The pivot lever is linked to the ejector mechanism by a link bar. The spreader tine is designed so that the curved portion engages the advancing clip of the inner coil, and as the clip moves forward, the inner coil is intercepted and deflected downwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,051 (Vick) teaches a paper clip applicator in which a plunger is moved forwardly by a knob through a slider. A paper clip is picked up from the end of the stack and moved forwardly over a cam which, in combination with a rocker cam, spreads the clip. Vick shows a spreading mechanism including rails or shoulders in association with a plunger, and the cam and the rocker cam.
Other patents also show different forms of paper clip dispensing apparatus and related type of office machines, and these include: U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,950 (Smotzer); U.S. Pat. No. 2,833,028 (Treimann); U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,932 (Pipkin); U.S. Pat. No. 3,254,398 (Macondray); U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,431 (Macondray); U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,454 (Hartman); U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,696 (Barr); U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,501 (Marshall); U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,098 (Lincoln); U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,954 (Takamizawa) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,158,168 (Woodruff).
Many of the paper clip applicators shown above lack simplicity and ease of application. It is an object of the present invention to provide a clip fastener which is reliable, easy to use and economical, so as to facilitate the rapid and efficient application of either large or small clips onto a stack of papers or other materials.
The invention provides a clip fastener wherein a magazine or receptacle, such as a removable cartridge, contains a stack of aligned clips which may be serially dispensed in a mechanism which rapidly spreads the outer loop and inner loop of the clip and applies them to a stack of papers or other materials appropriately located within the machine.
The invention is also unique in the fact that, at least in one form, the mechanism can be adjusted so that different size clips (commonly referred to as standard and jumbo size paper clips) can be accommodated within the same device.
In one aspect, the clip fastener therefore comprises a magazine or cartridge mechanism, a rail or track upon which a clip is dispensed when needed, a mechanism for moving the clip along the track, and structure for spreading the outer loop and inner loop of the clip just prior to its contact with the paper or other materials so that the outer and inner loops of the clip straddle the stack of papers or other materials. The spreader mechanism is operative with respect to the clip while the leading edges of the clip approach the stack of papers or other materials, but as soon as the inner and outer loops straddle different/opposite sides of the stack of papers or other materials, the clip passes off the spreader so that the inherent forces of the spring steel of which the clip is made can move back toward normal positions. In such positions, the inner and outer loops have a tendency to force toward each other so as to firmly hold the stack of papers or other materials within their grasp.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a clip fastener comprising: a housing; a magazine or cartridge located in or on the housing for holding a plurality of clips; a track for receiving clips from the magazine or cartridge; means for moving the clip along a pathway defined by the track; and spreader means in the pathway for separating an inner loop of the clip from an outer loop thereof.
Preferably, the track comprises a pair of substantially parallel guide rails, each guide rail for receiving a side piece of the outer loop of the clip, the distance between the rails slightly exceeding the width defined by side pieces of a clip""s inner loop. A section of the rails may have an overlapping flange, the flange and the rails defining a groove within which the side pieces of the outer loop of the clip can be received.
Conveniently, the means for moving the clip along the pathway defined by the track comprises a ram and ram rod, the ram rod having a head portion for engaging the clip and pushing it along the pathway. The length of travel of the ram rod may be determined by the width of the lower portion of the cartridge.
Preferably, the clip fastener includes a pair of wedge-shaped spreaders having a sharpened leading edge, an upper edge substantially parallel and coplanar with the track, and a lower inclined surface, each wedge for engaging a clip as it moves along the pathway for separating the inner loop of the clip from the outer loop thereof. The clip fastener may also have a depressing member immediately upstream of the spreader means, the depressing member for pushing down slightly the leading part of the inner loop of the clip to facilitate engagement of the spreader between the inner loop and the outer loop.
In a preferred form, the track for receiving clips is adjustable so as to be capable of accommodating clips of different sizes. The adjustable track may comprise a pair of substantially parallel rails mounted on support members, the support members including actuation means for moving the pair of rails toward or away from each other. In one embodiment, the pair of rails are moved toward or away from each other automatically by the insertion of a cartridge, the dimensions of the cartridge determining the distance between the rails.
A base member and cover may be provided defining therebetween a slot, the base member and cover being attached to the housing downstream of the spreader means, the slot for receiving a stack of papers or other materials for insertion therein and for proper positioning to receive a clip.